Video of the aftermath of an attack in which ITN reporter Terry Lloyd died has been shown in public for the first time at an inquest into his death.

The US video shows American tanks and soldiers inspecting the wreckage of Mr Lloyd's 4x4 although the inquest's coroner said it may have been edited.

Mr Lloyd, 50, died from an American bullet in southern Iraq in March, 2003.

Anthony Hudson, for Mr Lloyd's family, has asked the coroner to return a verdict of unlawful killing.

Footage 'cut'

The footage shown to the court was taken by a cameraman attached to the tank unit which is alleged to have fired on Mr Lloyd's convoy and it was given to the Royal Military Police by American authorities some months after the incident.

A forensic video expert, who looked at a tape, estimated that 15 minutes of film may have been cut from the beginning.

Major Kay Roberts, of the Royal Military Police, said she was told by the Americans the footage they handed over was "everything that they had".

Mr Hudson told the coroner he could be "satisfied" on the evidence that whoever opened fire on Mr Lloyd did so with the intention of "killing him or causing really serious injury".

Mr Lloyd, 50, died on 22 March near the Shatt Al Basra Bridge after his four-man team got caught up in the crossfire between American and Iraqi forces.

Vehicle 'shot at'

Earlier, the inquest heard colleagues of Mr Lloyd were put into an Iraqi truck just before it was hit by gunfire from US tanks.

Lebanese interpreter Hussein Osman was killed and the remains of French cameraman Fred Nerac have never been found.

Mr Nerac and Mr Osman were driving behind Mr Lloyd and cameraman Daniel Demoustier when they came across an Iraqi convoy at the bridge. They turned around, but the Iraqi soldiers caught them up and forced Mr Osman to pull over.

Maj Roberts told the inquest witnesses said Mr Nerac and Mr Osman were taken out of their marked TV car and put into the back of a pick-up truck.

Mr Lloyd and Mr Demoustier waited in the car in front.

Mr Lloyd's daughter, Chelsey, has attended the hearings

She was told the vehicle was part of a convoy carrying Saddam Hussein's Baath Party leader to Iraq's second city, Basra.

Witnesses said the pick-up truck was shot at and exploded, said the major.

"Both were blown out and away from the vehicle and sustained serious lower limb injuries," she said.

Maj Roberts said Mr Nerac was "unlikely to have survived" if witnesses were to be believed.

Derby-born Mr Lloyd was hit by an Iraqi bullet then an American bullet hit him in the head and killed him outright as he was being evacuated by minibus to hospital, the inquest has been told.

His body was returned to his family in Cuddington, Buckinghamshire. Mr Demoustier survived the incident.